Railway axle journal box seal



Jan. 25, 1966 J. J. HENNESSY RAILWAY AXLE JOURNAL BOX SEAL 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 6, 1964 INVENTOR JAMES J. HENNESSY TORNEY.

Jan. 25, 1966 J. J. HENNESSY RAILWAY AXLE JOURNAL BOX SEAL 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 6. 1964 INVENTOR JAMES J. HENNESSY FIG.8.

16M A TORNE Y- avg Jan. 25, 1966 J. J. HENNESSY 3,231,286

RAILWAY AXLE JOURNAL BOX SEAL Filed April 6. 1964 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 United States Patent M 3,231,286 RAILWAY AXLE JOURNAL BOX SEAL James J. Hennessy, 605 Guilford Ave., Chambersburg, Pa. 17201 Filed Apr. 6, 1964, Ser. No. 358,150 6 Claims. (Cl. 27768) This application is a continuation in part of application filed February 15, 1961, Serial No. 89,559, abandoned in view of the filing of the present application.

The invention relates to lubrication of railway axle journals and consists in an oil seal for application to the portion of the journal box usually referred to as the dust guard pocket where it will surround the dust guard seat of the axle adjacent to the axle journal and prevent the loss of oil from the box due to the reciprocation of the journal axially in the box, or to the supply of surplus lubricant to the journal, or to the tilting of the axle and journal as when the car is inverted in a dumping machine. Also the seal prevents the admission of water, dirt or other extraneous matter through the rear of the box.

The objects of the invention are to produce an effective seal which is durable, which does not interfere with the necessary movements of the journal relative to the "box axially 'or transversely of its axis without damaging the seal and without requiring continual movement of the body of the seal relative to the journal and the dust guard pocket walls; and to return lubricant trapped by the seal structure in the dust guard pocket to the journal box.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating selected embodiments of the invention:

FIG. 1 is a side view and vertical section through a journal box and journal showing the journal bearing, wedge and a portion of the wheel hub.

FIG. 2 is a detail vertical transverse section on line FIG. 3 is a vertical section through the upper portion of the seal as shown in FIG. 1 but is drawn to an enlarged scale. The axle is omitted.

FIG- 4 is an exploded view of the seal with the parts separated prior to assembly.

FIG. 5 is a similarly exploded view of a second form of the invention.

FIG. 6 is a section similar to FIG. 3 but showing the assembled unit of FIG. 5 in the box pocket.

FIGS. 7 and 8 correspond to FIGS. 5 and 6 but show a third form of the invention.

FIG. 9 is a transverse section through a journal, seal and box illustrating another form of the invention.

FIG. 10 is a detail longitudinal section through the structure shown in FIG. 9 and is drawn to a larger (substantially full size) scale with relative displacement of parts under certain conditions exaggerated to better illustrate features of the structure.

FIG. 11 is a detail view in the direction of the arrow 11 in FIG. 9.

The'wheel axle (FIGS. 1-4) includes a mounting portion 1 for the wheel 3, a dust guard seat portion 5, a

journal 7 and a collar 8. A bearing 10 is mounted on t the journal and supports the journal box 13 which includes a top wall 14, a bottom wall 15, side walls 17, a front wall 19, an inner rear wall 21 and an outer rear wall 23, the rear walls forming inner and outer upright walls of a dust and oil seal pocket.

Projecting inboard from the lower portion of inner end wall 21 is a transversely arcuate partition 25 which prevents or limits surging of the oil in the bottom of the box upwardly over the edge of the adjacent portion of wall 21 and traps a substantial quantity of oil if the car is tilted in a dumping machine.

The above mentioned parts do not in themselves con- 3,231,286 Patented Jan. 25, 1966 stitute the present invention, which resides in the oil seal, comprising a series of annuli, separated and shown in perspective in FIG. 4 but assembled and sectioned in FIGS. 1 and 3. The seal includes a body or cover or enclosure C consisting of two parts having radial walls 30, 32 respectively and having peripheral rims 31, 33 respectively, tightly fitting one within the other (FIG. 3). Lugs 35, 36 project from radial walls 30, 32. respectively and abut each other at their ends and form spacers for the parts and bushings for rivets 38 securing the cover parts together. The cover forms a channel, facing toward the axis of the annuli, the web of which comprises the rims 31, 33 and the flanges of which comprise the radial walls 30, 32. Freely received in this channel is an oil ring 40 having an inner periphery 42, with wearable ridges 43, for contacting the axle, and a grooved outer periphery 44 for receiving a wire spring 46. The ring is split at 49 to adapt it for variations in the diameter of the axle portion to which the seal is applied, and spring 46 contracts the ring to maintain tight contact with the axle. The outer diameter of the ring is substantially less than the inner diameter of the channel formed by cover 30, 32 and the ring and axle may move freely within the cover, both transversely of the journal axis and lengthwise thereof to the extent required in normal operations of the equipment in which the box and journal continually play relative to each other. Between the ring and the outer cover member is a thin annular disk 48 which has an inside diameter small enough to require the disk to be forced over the axle and distorted, as best indicated at 50 in FIG. 1. T o facilitate this distortion, the disk is offset, as best shown at 52. The disk has recesses 54 to accommodate the lugs 35, 36. The disk prevents free movement of oil outwardly of the box and movement of dirt inwardly of the box, and particularly baffles excessive loss of oil when the car is tilted for dumping its load.

An annular rib 56 projects from cover wall 30 in the opposite direction from periphery 31 and its lowermost portion is provided with a drain groove 58 whereby any oil draining to the bottom of the cover may flow back into the journal box as soon as the oil reaches the level of the bottom of the groove. Rib 56 and a corresponding rib 59 on radial wall 32 freely clear the axle dust guard seat 5 and the edges of the box pocket walls 21, 23.

With this structure, any oil accumulating on the journal proper and tending to escape through the rear of the box is trapped by the oil ring 40 and diverted to the channel formed by the covers and flows to the bottom of the channel where it moves through groove 58 back into the box. In the event the joint between the two covers should be penetrated by the oil, it will flow to the lowermost portion of the dust guard pocket and over the top of the lower portion of wall 21 and back into the journal box.

In the event of excessive movement of the journal in the box transversely of the journal axis beyond the clearance between ring 40 and the covers, the axle dust guard seat 5 will engage the inner peripheries of body walls 30, 32 andrnove the same bodily without. affecting ring 40 or disk 48, thus permitting movement of the journal to a substantial extent without damaging ring 42 or in any way affecting its performance.

A lug 60 projects radially upwardly from periphery 33 of the outer cover member and is engageable with longitudinal ribs .62 on the inner face of the top wall of the dust guard pocket (FIG. 1). This arrangement positively prevents rotation of the cover member and ring 48 in the pocket although ring 40 may rotate with the journal. The split 49 in the ring enables the ring to be spread far enough to slip over the journal collar 8.

In FIGS. 5 and 6 the body or cover comprises two telescoping parts corresponding to the body or cover parts shown in FIGS. 1-4. The radial walls 70, 72 and the peripheral rim 73 of the right hand or outer cover part are similar respectively to walls 30, 32 and rim 33 previously described but peripheral rim 71 of the inner or left hand cover part is substantially wider than rim 31 of the first form. Between outer rim 71 and the inner rim 86 of the left hand part is another annular rib 74 which is thin enough to be flexible and contacts the inner wall 75 of the dust guard pocket in the box. Part 72 has a similar thin annular rib 76 flexible and disposed to contact the rear wall 77 of the box pocket. Ribs 74 and '76 provide a tight joint between the seal unit and the inner and outer walls of the journal box pocket but may yield under thrust from the journal box walls 75, 77 or from the inner oil ring 80.

Oil ring 80 is substantially wider than ring 40 previously described. It is split at 81 and opposite to the split is a cut 82 which extends only part way through the ring and facilitates its expansion and contraction. The ring is contracted to fit a new axle or a turned-down axle by three coil garter springs 83 seated in individual grooves 84 in the outer periphery of the ring, thus providing uniform contractile pressure on the ring throughout the Width of its periphery. The ring includes a plurality (four are indicated) of spaced thin ridges 85 on its inner periphery disposed to engage the axle. These ridges quickly wear to seat themselves all around the axle periphery and they flex somewhat, if necessary, to form continuous contact with the axle. A transverse lug 87 near split 81 engages a recess or groove 80 in annular rib 86 of the body enclosure or cover to prevent relative rotation of the ring and the enclosure. A pin 88 on the uppermost face of the outer part is engageable with box elements 62, as in FIG. 1, to hold the assembly against rotation in the journal box and split 81 and recess 89 are always at the bottom of the seal. Although the ring acts as a wiper to prevent passage of oil along the journal dry seat, any oil passing outwardly beyond one or more ridges 85 will drain through split 81 and recess 89 back into the oil sump formed by the bottom of the box.

FIGS. 7 and 8 show a seal which has in common with the seals of FIGS. 1-6 the two-part enclosure but includes both a throw-off ring and wiping ring. The left hand cover part has a radial wall 90, an outer rim 91, a thin outer annular rib 92 and an inner annular rib 93 opposing the axle, similar to ribs 74, 86, respectively, previously described. The right hand outer part has a radial wall 94 and a thin annular rib 95 for contacting the outer box wall. There is a lug 96 for engaging the box ribs 62. A floating ring 97, associated with the left hand part, is split at 98 and contracted by a coil garter spring 100. Lugs 102 on the right hand cover part mount clips 104 which are received in recesses 106 in the periphery of rim 91 and hold the latter against rotation with the axle. A second split ring 108 is associated with the right hand enclosure part and has recesses 110 receiving clips 104. Ac-

cordingly, there are two contractible rings engaging the axle, one being rotatable therewith and the other being held against rotation with the axle. Rings 97 and 108 have inner ridges 112, 114 respectively for quickly wearing down and improving the sealing qualities.

FIGS. 9, 10 and 11 illustrate another structure closely resembling that shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 and including a two-part enclosure or housing 121, 122 and a split sealing ring 124 with a plurality of grooves in its exterior periphery for the garter springs 125 and a plurality of substantially parallel ridges 126 on its inner periphery contacting the axle dry seat 128. The journal box 130 includes a pocket 131 for the seal unit and includes a substantially continuous exterior peripheral wall 132 apertured at 133 to receive the upstanding pin 135 on enclosure part 122. This prevents rotation of the unit in the pocket.

Ribs 138 on enclosure parts 121, 122 possess suflicient flexibility to engage the opposing walls of pocket 131 irrespective of irregularities in the latter, thus avoiding the necessity of machining the pocket. Ridges 126 on the interior periphery of ring 124 are similarly flexible to yield and accommodate variations in diameter of the axle dry seat and to maintain sealing contact with the dry seat irrespective of relative movement between ring 124 and enclosure 121, 122 such as may occur if the axle is inclined angularly relative to the box, and enclosure, as indicated (exaggerated) in FIG. 9 at N.

Although enclosure 121, 122 may not rotate in the box, it may shift transversely of pocket 131, and ring 124 may shift transversely of the enclosure as indicated in FIG. 10. Such shifting of the seal parts and the axle and box are likely to develop and continue as trucks equipped unit, left hand enclosure member 121 has a rectangular irregularities and during acceleration and deceleration of the truck.

Enclosure members 121, 122 have lateral ribs 135, 136, respectively, each forming a continuous annulus surrounding the journal and extending a substantial distance along the axle surface and may extend beyond the opposing end walls of the journal box pocket. At the bottom of the unit, left hand enclosure mmeber 121 has a rectangular lateral projection 140 forming a passageway 141 leading over the adjacent upstanding portion of the pocket inner wall and discharging lubricant which may collect in the housing member back into the sump S formed by the lower portion of the journal box. The passageway also loosely receives a lateral lug 143 on ring 124 and prevents rotation of the ring in the enclosure.

As in the structures previously described, ridges 126 of the nonrotatable seal ring may flex or quickly wear to seat on the axle. There is no need for packing between the enclosure and the walls of the journal box pocket as is common in journal box oil and dust guards. Such packing would prevent ready angling or shifting of the present unit in the box pocket. Nor is it necessary for the enclosure parts to have relative movement or fit in the pocket so as to maintain an effective seal. Once the unit is installed, variations in the relative positions of the axle and box would be accommodated wholly within the seal unit by the relative movements of the seal ring and the enclosure, one within the other, and such movements would not affect the sealing action. There is sufficient play between the seal ring and the enclosure to accommodate the movement of these parts without requiring them to shift upon the dry seat or in the box pocket walls respectively.

While plastic material lends itself advantageously to the production of the seal parts in any of the forms illustrated, other materials may be used. Any form of the seal may be used with a waste-packed box or in combination with a lubricating pad or with a mechanical pump-type lubricator. The details of the structure may be varied otherwise than as disclosed without departing from the spirit of the invention and the exclusive use of those modifications coming within the scope of the claims is contemplated.

What is claimed is:

1. In an oil and dust seal for application to a railway axle between the upright walls of a dust guard pocket in a journal box mounted on the axle,

a circular enclosure of channel cross section of larger diameter than the axle to which the seal is to be applied and opening toward the enclosure axis, said enclosure including means for engaging the journal box to which it is applied to prevent their relative movement,

and including an annular web, parallel to the enclosure axis, and spaced radial flanges,

an oil ring received within said enclosure and contractible relative thereto to encircle and contact the axle to which it is applied and to shift in the enclosure lengthwise and transversely of the axis of said enclosure,

said channel section enclosure trapping any oil passing said ring and having a recess in one of its flanges at the lower portion of the enclosure for draining oil trapped in the enclosure back into the box,

and annular elements projecting from the sides of the enclosure and adapted to extend outwardly of the journal box dust guard pocket end walls along the axle periphery to bathe the passage of oil along the axle outwardly beyond the periphery of the enclosure.

2. In combination a railway axle and a journal box mounted thereon and having an oil and dust guard pocket with inner and outer upright end walls which are apertured for the passage of the axle therethrough,

a seal in said pocket between said end walls comprising an outer enclosure member with thin annular ribs engageable with said walls, and radially projecting means positively holding said member against rotation in said pocket,

a ring provided with means contracting it about the axle and shiftable with the axle parallel to and transversely of the axle axis within the enclosure member,

there being a drain groove in the inner end wall of said pocket and in the lower portion of the adjacent side of the enclosure member for returning oil from the interior of the lower part of the enclosure to the bottom of the box inwardly of said pocket.

3. A combination according to claim 2 in which there is clearance between the sealing ring and the enclosure member accommodating movement of the sealing ring with the axle axially of the enclosure member and transversely of the axis of the enclosure member.

4. In combination a railway axle and a journal box mounted thereon and having an oil and dust guard pocket with inner and outer upright end walls which are apertured for the passage of the axle therethrough,

a seal in said pocket between said end walls comprising a circular channel with a web parallel to the axle and with flanges extending from the web toward the axle and each terminating in wide ribs parallel to the axle, each rib forming a continuous annulus about the axle,

the enclosure flange nearer the pocket inner end wall having a lateral projection between its wide rib and the channel Web provided with a transverse passagey,

a seal ring closely surrounding the axle and loosely received within the channel and having limited movement therein lengthwise and transversely of the channel and being inclinable within the channel and provided with an integral lateral lug loosely received in said lateral projection passageway and holding the ring against rotation in the channel,

the lateral projection having a transverse passageway including a ledge at the bottom of the passageway overlying the lowermost portion of the inner Wall of the dust guard pocket and draining from the enclosure to the lower part of the journal box.

5. A self-contained oil seal unit for application direct to a railway axle as set forth in claim 1 which includes a second circumferentially contractible and expandable ring received in the circular enclosure and rotatable therein alongside of and relative to the first-mentioned ring.

6. In combination, a railway axle journal box having an oil and dust guard pocket with inner and outer transverse upright end walls apertured for the passage of an axle therethrough,

a lubricant and dirt seal in said pocket comprising an annular enclosure member of distortable material squeezed between said walls and held against movement in said pocket,

said enclosure member being of channel cross section with a web forming the outer periphery of the enclosure member and having flanges extending therefrom toward the axis of the enclosure member,

a split sealing ring received within the channel of the enclosure member and provided with yielding means contracting its diameter, said ring being freely shiftable within the enclosure member parallel to and transversely of the axis of the latter,

there being a passageway leading transversely through a flange of the enclosure member and the inner end wall of said pocket at the lower portion of the enclosure member and pocket and returning oil trapped in the enclosure member by the sealing ring to the lower portion of the journal box inwardly of said pocket.

LAVERNE D. GEIGER, Primary Examiner.

SAMUEL ROTHBERG, LEWIS J. LENNY, Examiners. 

1. IN AN OIL AND DUST SEAL FOR APPLICATION TO A RAILWAY AXLE BETWEEN THE UPRIGHT WALLS OF A DUST GUARD POCKET IN A JOURNAL BOX MOUNTED ON THE AXLE, A CIRCULAR ENCLOSURE OF CHANNEL CROSS SECTION OF LARGER DIAMETER THAN THE AXLE TO WHICH THE SEAL IS TO BE APPLIED AND OPENING TOWARD THE ENCLOSURE AXIS, SAID ENCLOSURE INCLUDING MEANS FOR ENGAGING THE JOURNAL BOX TO WHICH IT IS APPLIED TO PREVENT THEIR RELATIVE MOVEMENT, AND INCLUDING AN ANNULAR WEB, PARALLEL TO THE ENCLOSURE AXIS, AND SPACED RADIAL FLANGES, AN OIL RING RECEIVED WITHIN SAID ENCLOSURE AND CONTRACTIBLE RELATIVE THERETO TO ENCIRCLE AND CONTACT THE AXLE TO WHICH IT IS APPLIED AND TO SHIFT IN THE ENCLOSURE LENGTHWISE AND TRANSVERSELY OF THE AXIS OF SAID ENCLOSURE, SAID CHANNEL SECTION ENCLOSURE TRAPPING ANY OIL PASSING SAID RING AND HAVING A RECESS IN ONE OF ITS FLANGES AT THE LOWER PORTION OF THE ENCLOSURE FOR DRAINING OIL TRAPPED IN THE ENCLOSURE BACK INTO THE BOX, AND ANNULAR ELEMENTS PROJECTING FROM THE SIDES OF THE ENCLOSURE AND ADAPTED TO EXTEND OUTWARDLY OF THE JOURNAL BOX DUST GUARD POCKET END WALLS ALONG THE AXLE PERIPHERY TO BAFFLE THE PASSAGE OF OIL ALONG THE AXLE OUTWARDLY BEYOND THE PERIPHERY OF THE ENCLOSURE. 